3 years ago

Photos: Kinus HaRabbonim — We Won’t Abandon Our Shlichus In Russia!

Photos Levi Nazarov

A special emergency Kinus was held in Moscow for all the Rabbonim of Russia, who came from all over the country, to announce in a joint letter that they are continuing the momentum in the leadership of their communities, providing spiritual and material assistance to all Jews, and increasing their activity for Tishrei • Full Story, Photos

A special Kinus was held in Moscow for all the Rabbonim of Russia, who came from all over the country, to announce in a joint letter that they are continuing the momentum in the leadership of their communities, providing spiritual and material assistance to all Jews, and increasing their activity for Tishrei.

The emergency conference was chaired by the spokesman of the Union of Jewish Communities in Russia, Rabbi Baruch Gorin, who invited the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar Shlita, who presided over the conference and presented the position of the rabbis – each one to remain in his city and with his community, while calling for immediate peace and an end to the bloodshed, alongside the continued development of the communities, the flourishing of Yiddishkeit, as manifested last week at the opening of the school year with tens of thousands of Jewish students in all the Talmud Torahs, Yeshivas, the Cheders, the Sunday schools, and other educational frameworks for all ages of Russian Jews.

Rabbi Lazar concluded his speech during the reading of the special congratulatory letters sent by the Chief Rabbis to Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef and Rabbi David Lau.

The President of the Union of Jewish Communities in Russia, Rabbi Alexander Barda, and the Ambassador of Israel to Russia, Alexander Ben-Zvi, also spoke. The Rabbi of Peram, Rabbi Zalman Deitch, one of the organizers of the conference, read the letters of the great rabbis of Europe, and a special letter from the President of Israel Mr. Yitzhak Herzog was also received.

The emergency conference was held in the midst of three days of Yemei Iyun, with the participation of Rabbi Menachem Havlin and Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Eisenbach.

At the end of the convention that took place as mentioned in the capital Moscow, the decisions of the rabbis were published:

1 – The rabbis and leaders of the Jewish communities throughout Russia continue with the Shlichus that has guided them since then – engaging in matters of spirit and content, deepening Jewish identity among the Jewish public, studying the Torah and the traditions of Israel and observing its commandments. We are committed to assimilating the Israeli tradition among the public, to strengthen the educational institutions and communities, and to help all those in need and who need support, this is our role, and nothing else. We will continue in this direction, and we strengthen the hands of all those involved in this.

2 – Of course, it is not our business to engage in politics and geopolitics, G-d forbid. We are shocked by the fact that there are different personalities who not only think that the role of the rabbis is to engage in politics, and even run away from their community as a form of political protest, but also send messages against the rabbis who do not practice in this way.

We strengthen the hands of the rabbis and community leaders who found themselves under attack, and support their responsible and proper conduct.

3 – During this period in general, and especially as we now stand in the days of the month of Elul, the month of preparation for the new year, we must add to the occupation of studying the Torah, praying to the Creator of the world, and giving charity; To learn the laws that guide us on how to behave during the holidays of the coming month of Tishrei, to add by reciting chapters of Tehillim, as a prayer for peace to prevail in the world, and especially chapters 20, 23, 63, and 121.

We pray for the peace of all the citizens of the world, regardless of blood or nationality, and according to the words of the prophet Malachi, “There is one Father for us all, there is one G-d in our creation”, and we call on the leaders of the world to do everything in their power to bring peace and tranquility between the nations. Peace is a supreme value and is the basis for the existence of humanity in the world.

We offer a prayer that no more blood will be spilled, and we call on all those who have the ability in the entire world to help the refugees and all those who suffer from the situation in the world, to bring an end to the blood and tears, and we pray together that soon the destiny in the prophecy of the prophet Yeshayahu: “The Nation shall not lift a sword against another nation, and they shall learn no more about war” .